Hello and thanks for reading the Power Rankings. As we rapidly approach the holiday season—happy Hanukkah, by the way—the gift of reading has been serially overlooked. Works of great fiction and nonfiction have the power to change lives, perspectives, moods or habits by bringing you into the mindset of a character both real or imagined and explain how they are transformed. 

If you’re pressed for a last-minute gift for a loved one, support your local bookstore. A recommendation? Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan. You can read it in a day but you’ll be thinking about it well into the new year. 

Anyway, onto the rankings…

1. Los Angeles Rams (11–3)

Last week’s ranking: No. 1
Last week’s result: beat Lions, 41–34
This week: at Seahawks

In a week where serious injuries claimed two of the game’s brightest stars, Davante Adams sustaining what is considered a week-to-week issue is a sigh of relief. While I welcome a chaotic playoffs with few monolith teams, Los Angeles’s ceiling with this roster is too high—and too enjoyable to watch. 

2. Seattle Seahawks (11–3) 

Last week’s ranking: No. 2
Last week’s result: beat Colts, 18–16
This week: vs. Rams

I’ll never forgive Mike Macdonald for spoiling the Philip Rivers Disney film, but he is lowkey hilarious, which makes him harder to get mad at. Here he is telling a story about avoiding a conversation with an official during Sunday’s game: 

3. Buffalo Bills (10–4) 

Last week’s ranking: No. 3
Last week’s result: beat Patriots, 35–31
This week: at Browns

Column on the Bills’ Super Bowl audition. Amid a season of uncertainty, they are starting to check the boxes. 

4. Denver Broncos (12–2)

Last week’s ranking: No. 6
Last week’s result: beat Packers, 34–26
This week: vs. Jaguars

Speaking of Super Bowl moments, while Bo Nix’s progression has existed beneath the banalities of his EPA, displaying the height of his powers in a game with massive postseason implications has to make everyone rethink the AFC as a conference with a supposed power vacuum. 

5. Philadelphia Eagles (9–5)

Last week’s ranking: No. 13
Last week’s result: beat Raiders, 31–0
This week: at Commanders

This missed the cutoff for last week’s power rankings but deserves inclusion as it may have been my favorite tweet of the year: 

6. New England Patriots (11–3) 

Last week’s ranking: No. 5
Last week’s result: lost to Bills, 35–31
This week: at Ravens

Mike Vrabel casually dropping an officiating conspiracy theory next to a half-finished pint of Dunkin Iced coffee after the Bills game is absolute peak Boston: 

7. Houston Texans (9–5) 

Last week’s ranking: No. 11
Last week’s result: beat Cardinals, 40–20
This week: vs. Raiders

While I think we are overplaying the supposed lack of offensive firepower projected to make the playoffs this year, I also think we are underplaying just how destructive this Texans defense can be.

8. Chicago Bears (10–4) 

Last week’s ranking: No. 7
Last week’s result: beat Browns, 31–3
This week: vs. Packers

Watching Caleb Williams against Shedeur Sanders, another quarterback who is, at the very least, competent and able to escape pressure in the pocket, it becomes clear just how excellent Williams is at extending plays. While there’s a lot to iron out, this throw to D.J. Moore previews a ceiling that we may not be able to comprehend. 

9. Los Angeles Chargers (10–4)

Last week’s ranking: No. 12
Last week’s result: beat Chiefs, 16–13
This week: at Cowboys

Tony Jefferson laying out Rashee Rice was more than just a vintage 2000s, NFL Countdown style Jacked Up hit. It was symbolic of a division that no longer feels the need to treat the Chiefs like some Thanos-level villain. 

10. San Francisco 49ers (10–4)

Last week’s ranking: No. 9
Last week’s result: beat Titans, 37–24
This week: at Colts

Brock Purdy pulled a pretty cool move in the heat of the moment against Tennessee. Like all of us reviewing footage of ourselves from a wedding, he’s now experiencing the predictable second-day regrets.

11. Jacksonville Jaguars (10–4)

Last week’s ranking: No. 10
Last week’s result: beat Jets, 48–20
This week: at Broncos

Every few weeks, we need Trevor Lawrence to face a JV defense so that he can put on a seven-on-seven clinic and simply showcase his raw arm talent. Watching Jacksonville pick apart the Jets was simply a joy. 

12. Green Bay Packers (9–4–1)

Last week’s ranking: No. 4
Last week’s result: lost to Broncos, 34–26
This week: at Bears

The Packers have had non-stop blender games this month and now return to Chicago for another matchup against a Bears team that was one throw away from clipping them last time. Their ability to handle attrition will be on full display as the NFC North looks primed to shapeshift again. 

13. Detroit Lions (8–6)

Last week’s ranking: No. 8
Last week’s result: lost to Rams, 41–34
This week: vs. Steelers

While the Lions aren’t capable of scoring with the Rams sans an elite run game, I thought this was one of Jared Goff’s better games in a situation where he was clearly playing with a hand tied behind his back. If Campbell’s ethos is toughness, let’s see what the Lions have left over the next few weeks. 

14. Pittsburgh Steelers (8–6) 

Last week’s ranking: No. 14
Last week’s result: beat Dolphins, 28–15
This week: at Lions

While I’m sure everyone will want to overreact to this win over Miami on Monday Night Football—a bad Dolphins team that has historically underperformed in cold weather—this was one of the more complete games we’ve seen from this veteran heavy roster. Now, let’s see it a week from now against the Lions. 

15. Baltimore Ravens (7–7)

Last week’s ranking: No. 17
Last week’s result: beat Bengals, 24–0
This week: vs. Patriots

Since 2017, Ravens fans have not had to watch a single week of football in which Baltimore was not in playoff contention. Think about that for one second. 

16. Indianapolis Colts (8–6)

Last week’s ranking: No. 20
Last week’s result: lost to Seahawks, 18–16
This week: vs. 49ers

I don’t think that Philip Rivers’s quarterback play will materially change the Colts’ ever-slimming chances of reaching the playoffs. But I do think the energy that accompanied his arrival, which clearly had an effect on the defense and special teams, can. 

Also, kudos to the one man winning the war against health insurance right now. 

17. Carolina Panthers (7–7)

Last week’s ranking: No. 16
Last week’s result: lost to Saints, 20–17
This week: vs. Buccaneers

In order to complete an improbable run to the postseason, Carolina very likely will have to defeat both Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold head to head—two of its very recent starting quarterbacks who were on the roster at the same time. 

18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7–7) 

Last week’s ranking: No. 19
Last week’s result: lost to Falcons, 29–28
This week: at Panthers

Another year, another key member of the Buccaneers’ offensive staff getting plucked for a promotion. This time, before the end of the regular season. 

19. Minnesota Vikings (6–8)

Last week’s ranking: No. 23
Last week’s result: beat Cowboys, 34–26
This week: at Giants

While we have all had our fun at J.J. McCarthy’s expense, I can’t say how happy I am for a person this young and this out there as himself recovering and playing some great football. It hasn’t been clean. He’ll have competition a year from now. But his rebound from stumbling is praiseworthy. 

Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer
Brian Schottenheimer’s first season at the helm in Dallas appears likely to end in Week 18 following Sunday’s loss to the Vikings. | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

20. Dallas Cowboys (6–7–1)

Last week’s ranking: No. 15
Last week’s result: lost to Vikings, 34–26
This week: vs. Chargers

Did we all enjoy those horrific two weeks when we thought Jerry Jones had outfoxed the NFL with a troika of Brian Schottenheimer, George Pickens and Kenny Clark? Ah, sweet normalcy setting back in. 

21. Cincinnati Bengals (4–10)

Last week’s ranking: No. 22
Last week’s result: lost to Ravens, 24–0
This week: at Dolphins

While professional football can bring out the absolute worst in people as competitors, I maintain that it also possesses a very unique ability to expose the true good guys. Joe Burrow is one of those people. 

22. New Orleans Saints (4–10)

Last week’s ranking: No. 24
Last week’s result: beat Panthers, 20–17
This week: vs. Jets

Kellen Moore’s team is finding traction toward the end of a long season. The call to QB draw Tyler Shough at the end of the game—and Shough’s wherewithal to time the slide in a way that could generate a hit—were brilliant. This team may have found its answers at two of the most critical positions. 

23. Kansas City Chiefs (6–8)

Last week’s ranking: No. 18
Last week’s result: lost to Chargers, 16–13
This week: at Titans

Column on the potential of a Patrick Mahomes gap in time, and why, for a person so immersed in the pursuit of greatness, this could be a blessing in disguise. 

24. Miami Dolphins (6–8) 

Last week’s ranking: No. 21
Last week’s result: lost to Steelers, 28–15
This week: vs. Bengals

This was an incredibly disappointing performance that confirmed so many of Miami’s entrenched narratives during the Mike McDaniel era. What is especially disappointing is the fact that Miami’s berserker run game of the last month felt like it could change said narrative. 

25. Washington Commanders (4–10)

Last week’s ranking: No. 29
Last week’s result: beat Giants, 29–21
This week: vs. Eagles

The Commanders are a small part of this, but the league’s Christmas Day schedule has almost completely gone stale. This is perhaps the one hidden benefit of Washington officially shutting Jayden Daniels down. It may be the first slate of late-season games that we can tune out entirely (if enjoying Christmas is your thing). 

26. Atlanta Falcons (5–9) 

Last week’s ranking: No. 25
Last week’s result: beat Buccaneers, 29–28
This week: at Cardinals

Lost in the Falcons’ struggles this year, as pointed out by friend Bill Barnwell over at ESPN: Atlanta has one of the oldest rosters in the NFL. And while Kirk Cousins filling in for Michael Penix alters that formula, this rebuild is going to be more complex than perhaps we originally thought. 

27. Arizona Cardinals (3–11)

Last week’s ranking: No. 30
Last week’s result: lost to Texans, 40–20
This week: vs. Falcons

While I’m an advocate for Jonathan Gannon getting to pick a quarterback post-Kyler Murray, there is little doubt he has reached the exhaustive phase of his tenure where questions about job security are a daily chore. 

28. Tennessee Titans (2–12)

Last week’s ranking: No. 26
Last week’s result: lost to 49ers, 37–24
This week: vs. Chiefs

The Jeffery Simmons touchdown from Cam Ward was the perfect capstone on what has been a very strange season in Tennessee, where there is undoubtedly talent and upside if anyone cares to dig around and take a look. 

29. Cleveland Browns (3–11)

Last week’s ranking: No. 27
Last week’s result: lost to Bears, 31–3
This week: vs. Bills

At this point, is the question not whether the Browns should keep Kevin Stefanski, but whether they can? Stefanski would have options. He’d be arguably the top coach on the market if he were a free agent. Will the team iron out its penchant for the strange and save this team from yet another frantic hiring cycle?

30. New York Giants (2–12)

Last week’s ranking: No. 31
Last week’s result: lost to Commanders, 29–21
This week: vs. Vikings

I think Jaxson Dart has some interesting thoughts on how a narrative—specifically in regards to his play—can get out of control and impact actual gameplay. Officials will almost always assume he has sustained some kind of head trauma, which, while for his protection, is not the same course of action taken with almost any other quarterback. 

31. New York Jets (3–11)

Last week’s ranking: No. 28
Last week’s result: lost to Jaguars, 48–20
This week: at Saints

Aaron Glenn is very quickly winnowing his survival island in New York. In one interception-less season, he has benched the quarterback and now fired the defensive coordinator all before the completion of a full season. The general manager who traded the team’s best players isn’t going anywhere, which means he’ll have to start winning some games. 

32. Las Vegas Raiders (2–12)

Last week’s ranking: No. 32
Last week’s result: lost to Eagles, 31–0
This week: at Texans

Woah. A wild stat from the AP: the Raiders’ loss to Philadelphia drops the team to a .500 record since the AFL merger. A perfect 434-434-6 and the first time since 1970 that the team has not had a winning record as a franchise. 

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as NFL Power Rankings: Patriots Slip Out of Top Five After Loss to Bills.

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